Is Chronic Heart Failure Considered a Disability by SSA?

Suffering from a disabling medical condition can leave you in a state of hopelessness and often unable to earn a sustainable income.

Fortunately, that is the entire purpose of the Social Security Administration’s disability benefit programs, including:

• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

While these disability benefits are available to individuals and their family members who suffer from a disabling medical condition, the SSA has a selective and often complex application process.

For example, one of the SSA’s eligibility requirements is that your medically disabling condition must be listed in the SSA’s Blue Book.

Among the many conditions listed in their book is chronic heart failure in section 4.02.

Part of your application process for SSI or SSDI will require you to submit documented support from licensed medical professionals who have diagnosed your condition and how it interferes with your ability to work.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

If your condition is treatable, then you must be able to prove that the prescribed treatment(s) are not enough to allow you to perform daily (work) tasks.

The Social Security Administration has outlined how severe your disabling condition must impair you in order to be eligible for these benefits including one of the requirements listed in section A and one of the requirements listed in section B.

Section A: Medical Documentation

• Systolic failure

• Diastolic failure

And

Section B: Resulting In

• Persistent symptoms of heart failure limiting your performance of daily tasks
• 3 plus acute congestive heart failure episodes within 12 months
• Inability to perform an exercise tolerance test

Applying for Disability Benefits?

If you suffer from a disabling condition, the Social Security Administration has two distinct disability programs, SSDI and SSI.

However, while the programs are available to those who suffer from a medically disabling condition, the SSA has listed specific eligibility requirements resulting often times in a complicated application process.

Just because you or a loved one are suffering from a disabling condition, doesn’t mean you have to tackle it alone. Let one of the experienced and compassionate disability advocates at Disability Experts of Florida help you fight for the benefits you deserve.